All Kinds Of Kinds
by GunslingerVixen
Summary: - au GH fic.. JaSam, other couples, OFC x ? pairing.. - Jolene shows up in Port Charles to get answers to finally figure out who she is in life, find her birth family. What she finds in Port Charles, is so much more than that, and is it too late for Father / Daughter to meet face to face? And what will he think when she catches the eye of someone he's not too fond of? r&r please
1. Chapter 1

"_Ever Since The Beginning, To Keep The World Spinning, It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds"_

_- All Kinds Of Kinds, Miranda Lambert_

Prologue:

_I grew up in Las Vegas.. Never really thought I'd fit in in some boring and lame small town. But then I decided that I wanted to find my birth parents, and I wanted to at least have some closure in my life as far as where I came from was concerned._

_My search seemed like it'd never really amount to much, but recently, it seems like I might be just about to have a big break in that area. Meanwhile, I'm 19, just turned actually, and I just graduated from high school last year, now I'm sort of trying to figure out what i'm gonna do with my life._

_I wanna be a singer, but I know I'd never make it really, really big.. And part of me is scared if I did, I'd wind up becoming someone that I'm not._

_And I don't want that, hell, I really still don't even know who I am yet, as a person. _

_So for now, I'll find a part time job, keep looking for my answers. I just hope that Port Charles actually has the answers I'm looking for, and it's somewhere that maybe I'll at last fit in at. _

_CHAPTER 01 PART O1:_

The brunette stood at the edge of the road, soaked to the bone by the rain from earlier in the evening, when she'd first gotten into town, and since then she'd pretty much had her thumb extended in the chilly night air blowing in off the pier. She only had her suitcase, a small one, and of course her guitar case on her back.

"Come on.. Ya can't tell me that I managed to find the only deserted road in this damn town." she muttered quietly as she sighed, prepared to just sleep on a park bench again that night. It wouldn't be the first time she'd done it, and judging by her usual and lousy luck, it wouldn't be the last, either.

Thinking nobody was going to drive by, or walk by even, and feeling a little edgy, she took out the guitar, started to play a song she'd started writing earlier in the day, while on a bus into town.  
She'd hoped that Port Charles would be it, Port Charles would be that town.. She'd be reunited with her family, she'd finally be able to have a decent and normal life, a settled life.

She wanted so badly to have one.

But she'd discovered that her birth mother, Brenda, no longer lived here. Brenda, according to the gossipy lawyer she'd spoken to while in line, lived in Italy.. And she asked about Jason Morgan, the man who was listed in her records as her father..

He was dead, naturally.

And when she'd asked about Jason, she'd come to the general consensus that she'd have been a disappointment to the man if he weren't dead, hell, probably to her birth mother, also, because her birth mother, well.. She was a famous model..

Jolene was pretty much as plain jane as they came, and she'd started looking too little too late for her birth parents.. If only she'd started earlier.. Maybe she could have met her father?

She sighed, grumbled quietly, "Bet I'd have been a let down to him. Probably will be to my birth mother if I ever meet her. Maybe I should just try and get on with my life or something."

She started to sing the song she'd written on the bus earlier, and she thought about halfway through, she heard someone say something behind her. So she stopped playing, saw a concerned looking older man sitting beside her on the bench.

"Who taught you to play?" Franco asked the 19 year old girl curiously as she shrugged and dug around in a leather motorcycle jacket, fished out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, offered him one, then said "Taught myself to play when I was 6. Thought if I could do something, I'd have a better chance at being adopted.. Naturally, it didn't work."

Franco sighed. She looked a lot like she was close to Kiki's age.. The pain still hurt, he still felt like someone was ripping his heart in half because Kiki wasn't his daughter anymore. And he wouldn't have walked over to talk to this girl, but for one thing, he was concerned about her, and another, he'd sort of seen her leave something behind in her hurry to get out of the diner, probably because she hadn't had any more money to get food and her ticket was coming.

"You left something in that coffee house."

Jolene raised her brow then asked in a hurry, "What'd I leave?"

"This.."

"Shit.."

"Yeah."

"Lemme guess, you read it, sir? Can I just say something before you go all parental on me? I've been fine on my own.. I just wanted to see if my parents even missed me, if either of them ever wondered what I became when they shoved me off on someone."

"I have a sneaking suspicion your father had no clue what your birth mother did. I'm pretty sure he'd have loved you."

"You barely know me, sir."

"I know enough.. You're my niece, so I have to say nice stuff.. Besides.. I'm trying to be a good guy these days."

"Did you even know my real father, I mean?"

"Somewhat.. I came into his life bitter and angry, see, my own mother, she did to me what your mother did to you."

"My name's Jolene, by the way.. Everybody usually calls me Jo."

"Mine's Franco."

"Like the painter guy?"

"I am the painter guy.. You've seen my work?"

"Somewhat. Snuck into this art gallery in Frisco.. It was pretty damn awesome."

"Don't say that.. When I was doing that.. I was messed up."

"Yeah, heard you killed people or something."

"And you're sitting here, still?" Franco asked, intrigued.

Jolene simply shrugged then said "I'm tougher than I look." as she added as an after thought, "Besides, not like I'd be missed. Kinda hard to love."

"How do you know?"

"Because.. I am, okay?" Jolene asked stiffly as she sighed and apologized then said quickly, " Sorry, I'm just kind of upset and confused right now.. I mean my father's dead, my mother's in Italy.. I have nobody. And I don't know if I should mourn or what?"

"I'll take you to the gravestone if you want to go. It's too late for you to be walking around alone."

"Sure.. Trust me, if anyone tries that mugging shit, they'll swallow teeth before they get anything offa me."

"Whatever you say, shorty." Franco said as he gave a slight smirk and lead her to the graveyard that his twin brother's stone was in.

"If it helps, I come here a lot, wondering what might have been if I'd come into his life a different way.. And you said you were alone before.. You're not.. I'm his brother.. If you want to talk to me, you can." Franco said quietly, not even really sure why he was doing it.

She sat down on the bench and stared at her hands a moment, the black fingerless gloves she wore, the black chipping nail polish on badly bitten nails.

"Play him the song."

"No.. I.."

"Just do it. You'd be surprised how much stuff like that helps."

She took out her guitar again, tuned it and started to play the song she'd been playing before on the bench, trying not to cry as she did so. She'd come this far only to have the doors slammed in her face yet again, no answers to her questions.

Meanwhile, from about 10 feet away, Jason Morgan stood in the shadows, reading a letter Brenda left on his grave as she'd left town with Jax.. He hadn't intended on coming back until he found their daughter, but apparently, his daughter with Brenda Barrett was sitting less than 10 feet away, playing guitar to his empty grave.

The irony of this sort of had him smiling to himself a little, as he walked off, trying to figure out what to do first..

Did he approach his daughter before he reunited with his family.. Or did he reunite himself with his family?

He sighed as he dialed Sam's cell phone number.

They'd all probably be mad at him, but he hadn't been able to control what'd been done to him, any more than Franco had been able to control the brain tumor, he knew that now. Granted, he still didn't much care for either of his brothers, but he knew now that Franco had a reason for doing all of the things he'd done all along.

Back in the graveyard, Franco sat down and then asked, "Are you staying anywhere tonight?"

"No sir.. Probably gonna hitch my way out of town. I mean there's no sense in staying, my father's other family, they won't like me, or they won't believe me.."

"Did you even try?"

"Nope.. I met a few of 'em this week, they all seemed to have their mind up about people who have less than them."

"Actually, you might be surprised. You should at least try before you leave.. Let's find you somewhere to sleep for the night, and get indoors before it rains." Franco said as he stood, waited on his brother's oldest child to gather her few things, before leading her into the Metro Court, where he was staying.

Carly raised a brow, but something about the strange and much younger female's eyes made her stop and stare a moment.

"Put it on my bill. She was going to hitchhike out of town. I know you hate me, but trust me.. I'll explain this in the morning." Franco said quietly as he handed his niece a room key, then let her walk away.

"Sir?"

"Umm, thanks.. I'll have to get your address before I'm outta here, pay you back somehow."

"Don't worry about it, Jo."

The second she was on the lift, Carly said quietly ,"Start talking. Now. And if it's a lie, Franco, I swear to God, I will kill you."

Franco slid the manila envelope across the desk to her and then said "Just read it and tell me what you think."

Carly sat down, reading the papers in the envelope, her mouth dropping in shock. "I've gotta call Sam."

"No, this is about more than marrow. If that's the only reason you're calling Sam, then as her uncle, I'm refusing."

"You've known her what, ten minutes?"

"She has noone, Carly."

"She'll have Sam and Monica if you'll piss off and let me tell them."

"Suit yourself.. But you know how the Quartermaines can be.. And anyway, you pointed out that I've only known her ten minutes.. What's to say she's not a teenage con artist?"

"Another good reason for me to call Sam."

"Okay, point proven." Franco said as he added, "She seemed really upset to find out Jason was dead."

"I can imagine.. If she came here hoping to finally find her family or at least get closure.." Carly said as she texted Sam, explaining she was going to swing by the hospital on her way back to her townhouse.. Sam needed the girl as much as the girl needed some sort of family.

Jolene sat in the upscale hotel room, eyeing the baby grand piano. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to play it.. She missed playing piano.

She walked over tentatively, and took out her Ipod, found the song she was looking for, the most appropriate one for her current situation [arms of an angel, sarah mclachlan] and s tarted to play the melody, sing along.

She looked up at a throat clearing, and then raised a brow at the scruffy faced 20 something year old guy who stood in the door, watching her.

"What? Shit, I'm sorry.. You were being kept awake, right?"

"No, actually, I was kinda listening.. Keep playing." Johnny said as he walked into the room just a little. He'd just gotten out of prison, they'd overturned his case due to lack of evidence, and he was staying here while his own place was being gotten ready again.

"How old are ya?"

"19."

"How long have ya been playing?"

"Since as long as I can remember.. This one lady, Corina.. She sort of taught me when she had me as a foster."

Johnny looked at her. Her eyes were almost the same shade of blue as Jason Morgan's had been and they had similar facial features.. Was she related somehow?

He looked around the room to keep himself from looking at her so much and making her scared, and he spotted the guitar case.

"You play guitar too?"

"And drums."

"Wow."

"Yeah, when you spend a lot of time in orphanages, you'll learn anything to pass the time, try and make yourself more appealing to potential parents.. Just too bad I didn't realize you can't but sugar on shit and call it a brownie sooner, huh?"

"Don't say that." Johnny said as he looked at her and she shrugged, muttered, "What, it's the truth. You don't know me, so you don't know."

"I'm pretty sure you're not shit."

"Say what you want, sir." Jo said as she shrugged and popped her fingers, then said casually, "So... Any reason you don't shave?"

"I've umm.. I've been in Pentonville.. Didn't really see the need."

"Yeah? Well trust me, there is one. You've got too much Italian in ya, your facial hair grows in all patchy.. It's cute, but.." Jolene muttered as she shut up and said casually, "Sorry.. I'm not much of a think before I speak kinda girl."

"It's fine." Johnny said as he asked, "Any reason you're in town?"

"Yeah.. I came to find my birth parents.. Probably gonna leave though, no sense in me staying when my father's extended family are all stuck up and believe anyone who's not them are somehow less of a person.. And my mom lives in Italy, so.. Not likely I'll be travelling there anytime soon.. My father's brother kinda made me stay here for the night.. I coulda hitched out of town just fine." Jolene admitted as Johnny asked because by now, curiousity was killing him, "Who are your parents?"

"According to my birth certificate, Brenda Barrett and Jason Morgan.."

"Brenda gave a kid up for adoption?"

"Not sure, actually.. See, I also found a death certificate for myself too.. But hey.. Either way, wasn't like she busted her ass to find me, right?"

"Yeah, but most people tend to believe the doctors and the paper that says they lost their kid.."

"She wouldn't have liked me anyway. Kinda hard to love." Jolene said as she shrugged, then said "You looked funny when I said my dad's name though.. Something I need to know?"

"Just that he might not be dead.. They never actually found his body."

"Pretty sure if he's got a grave and a headstone, sir, he's dead."

"Not if he died at sea, they never actually found a body. Aren't you the least bit curious?"

She thought it over a moment and then said "Well, I do need to get some money saved back up so I can get going again, not have to hitchhike everywhere.."

"How long have you been doing that?"

So sue him, he'd missed idle conversation while behind bars.. And right now, as far as idle conversation went, this one was proving really, really interesting.

"Since I was probably 17. Got sick of the last family's shit, packed mine and left."

A clearing of a throat from the doorway had him looking up as Franco walked in and said "Get out of here, Zacarra.. Pretty sure my brother wouldn't want you around his daughter."

"But?"

"Trust me, Jo.. What I just did, I did for your own good."

"Excuse me? You were a serial killer before you got the brain tumor taken out, so where the hell do you get off telling me that a mobster is dangerous." Jolene asked, her facial expression for a moment looking so much like his twin brothers, Franco couldn't help but feel this eerie feeling that she was not lying and this wasn't some elaborate con.

He was curious to find out what Sam would say when Carly got done talking to her in a little while. Carly had given him instructions to make sure Jo did not leave Port Charles. She thought maybe having her around would help Sam.

"Sorry.. I just.. I'm used to taking care of myself."

"I know, but trust me when I say, that man that just left this room is a mobster.. And the family he's from, is the biggest enemy of the family your father worked for."

"Holy shit.. So my dad was like.. in the middle of a freakin mob movie or something?"

"Not exactly. He was friends with Sonny, didn't mean he agreed with the way Sonny did things.. Jason... From what I know about him now.. He tried to keep things simple, keep Sonny from screwing up and raising complete hell."

She thought this over.

Across town, Sam sat in the lobby of the hospital, the folder perched on her lap as her mother, Alexis looked on.

When they got to the death certificate that someone obviously made a copy of, they looked at one another.. Was there a chance that Brenda had no clue her child was even still living?

"She really does look like him, a lot. It's obvious they like the same color too." Sam said with a slight smile as she saw a picture of the girl Carly was telling her about, Jolene, in the folder.

"It says here she ran away from her foster home at 17."

"I noticed. It also says she finished high school. That's admirable. Lots of teenage runaways don't bother trying to finish school."

"All I know is that she's staying in the Metro Court.. Franco booked the suite adjoining his for her. He's going to try and keep her in Port Charles."

"Do you think she'd see me?"

"It can't hurt, Sam.. Have you ever just looked at a child, no matter how old they are and wanted to take them in and fix everything that's been done to them?"

"Yeah.. That's how I wound up with Rafe in the apartment.. But she's 19."

"Trust me.. There's damage there. You can just look at her and tell." Carly insisted as she said "What are you waiting on, Sam, come on.. Bring Danny.."

"Yeah.. It might help.. I mean maybe she'd like to see her younger brother.. Let me go ask Dr. Clay if it's okay to get him out like this."

"I'll bring the car up to the door, Sam so he doesn't get any chills or rain on him. Or, wait.. Let me call the desk at the Metro, see if they can get the phone in her room to pick up.. If she's awake, I'll try and get her to come to the hospital.."

"What if she won't?"

"We have to try.. She's a piece of Jason, Sam."

Sam nodded quietly and then said "That's true.. And now, more than anything, I wish he were still here with me. I cannot believe this happened to him, to Brenda and neither of them knew it."

"Oh, I'm pretty damn sure Brenda knew, she just kept it hidden. She's a bitch like that." Carly insisted as she stepped out to make the call.

While she did this, Sam checked her own voicemail and that's when she heard it.. Loud and clear, she heard Jason's voice through the static and she heard him saying, "There's something I had to do. I missed you so much, Sam."

She let her mother hear the call and then ran down the hallway to find Monica, tell her everything that'd just happened in the short stretch of minutes she'd stepped back into her son's room in the children's ward.

Her head was spinning, her heart was pounding and she was finding herself getting that old hopeful feeling back.. But was she setting herself up for disappointment again?

* * *

AUTHORS NOTES:

I was inspired to write this when I saw some footage online of Jason and Brenda's 'mock wedding'. I liked them as a pair, but I am team JaSam, so this will be a JaSam x ofc x ? story.

It's meant to be an ensemble, I realize it couldn't possibly happen on the show, and if it could, they'd never get it even half assed right, so I decided to write this, see if anyone liked it. If you do, cool, and I hope you'll keep reading it..

If not, sorry.

But if you want more, let me know via review.. Also, trying a little 'humanistic' side to Franco.. The side we sort of saw when he was crushed to find Kiki was not his daughter? Yeah, so sue me.

Thinking of pairing her with Johnny strictly because I miss him. Unless you can think of someone better suited and NOT related?


	2. Chapter 2

"_Ever Since The Beginning, To Keep The World Spinning, It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds"_

_- All Kinds Of Kinds, Miranda Lambert_

_CHAPTER 01 PART O2:_

"Hold on damn it, I'm coming.. Just let me get awake fully." a crabby and woken in the middle of the night by a ringing phone Jolene muttered as she reached for the phone.

"There's a call for you, Ms.. From Port Charles General Hospital?"

Jolene raised a brow. She knew that the man claiming to be an uncle, the one who'd booked her this room, had been in the hospital, he was still wearing the identification bracelet they gave patients while in the hospital, so she asked in concern, "It's not pertaining to a man named Franco.. Right?" as she held her breath and crossed her fingers on one hand. He couldn't be gone too, not when he was probably the only member of her father's family that would accept her.

"No, it's actually from a woman named Samantha McCall Morgan.. Do you accept?"

The last name was the only thing that made Jolene accept and as soon as she was switched over and it wasn't a party line anymore, she asked warily, "Hi?"

"Hi. I'm.. A friend of mine told me what Franco told her.. I was curious.."

"Whoa, wait, hold on.. What'd this friend tell you, ma'am?"

"That you're Jason's daughter." Sam said as she asked, "In any case, I was wondering if you'd like to come to the hospital and meet your half brother, if this isn't some sort of con.. "

"Whoa.. I have a half brother who's in the hospital?" Jolene asked, concern edging into her wary and sarcastic tone of voice as she said again, "Sorry, it's just.. I figured everybody in my birth father's family would probably try their damndest to say I'm not who I claim to be."

"His name's Danny, they.. He's got leukemia, he's really sick."

"I'll be right there." Jolene answered without thinking as she looked up at the ceiling, muttering a quick prayer. She'd learned a long time ago they never got answered when it came to her, but maybe just this once.. She grabbed the phone again and asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

"They're looking for potential marrow donors. If you want, you can get tested? It could also prove your statement so nobody can say you're not his daughter.."

"I'm not worried about that, actually.. I'm not planning on sticking around long.. Obviously trying to find answers to my beginnings wasn't a good idea. I wasn't meant to know." Jolene said quietly as she said "I'll get tested though, it's the least I can do, right?"

Sam sighed as she looked at Carly who mouthed, "I told you, the girl just.. She's broken and hurting.. Seems like she's been that way for a really, really long time."

"I'm on my way.. And yes, I'd like to meet you guys, if you really want me to." Jolene said quietly as she finished dressing, trying to find something that wasn't too holey, or too old, too 'poor looking' just in case these people were like the more judgemental people she'd run into in the week there.

Thank God she hadn't just burst into ELQ claiming what she knew to be true. They'd have probably run her out of town on a rail, she figured.

A few seconds later found her on the elevator, and she twisted her thumbs nervously all the way down as Franco turned to her and said "Don't let them pressure you into anything. I'm pretty sure your dad would tell you that."

"Oh trust me. If I feel it's hostile, I'm bailing." Jolene said as she leaned her head back, tried to figure out just what was happening.. Was everything finally starting to come together?

"If you get nervous, I'll stick around.. I'll be down in the lobby.. Sam kinda.. She hates me, with good reasons." Franco said as they parked and walked into the hospital's entrance.

As soon as she stepped off the elevator, Alexis spotted the girl, elbowed her daughter as she said with a slight smile, "She came."

Sam smiled as she stood and walked towards the girl, who honestly looked as afraid as everyone else did at this point.

"Hi.. I'm Sam."

"I'm Jo." Jolene managed a smile as she asked, "Can I see him? My little brother, I mean.."

"Sure. He's this way."

"What's his doctor's name?"

"Dr. Silas Clay."

"Okay.. And he seems like an honest guy, right? Like he knows what the hell he's doing?" Jolene asked nervously as she walked down the hallway beside her father's wife, stopping in front of a nursery window.

Sam couldn't stop thinking about how closely she did resemble Jason. This bone marrow test could prove if she were being honest. She kept reminding herself that now days anyone could fake a few documents if the money was right or they knew what people would be looking for.

But there was that nagging feeling that in Jo's case, she was not faking anything.. Sam just had this gut feeling about the girl.. Apparently, her mother shared the same gut feeling because she walked over and said "That girl.. She looks and carries herself exactly like Jason, Sam.."

"I honestly think she's telling the truth Mom.. I still want to look into her, have her DNA ran against Jason's, just in case.. I mean she did meet up with Franco first, what if she's working with him to pull some sick joke."

"Well then we'll deal with it when the truth comes out.. For now, it looks like she needs us as much as you might need her."

Molly spoke up as she said "If she were lying, she'd have been a lot more jumpy than she is, Sis.. She's not flinching or anything when someone asks her a question."

Jolene stood at the glass outside the nursery, her hand on it as she said quietly, "If there is a God up there.. Why the hell would you do something like this to a baby? And why is there no match for him yet?" before she turned around and said calmly, her face taking on the same serious look Jason was known for giving as she said quietly, "Is the lab still open? I want to do this now." as she rubbed her arms, feeling jittery. She'd always hated hospitals.

Sam went to find Elizabeth so they could start paperwork and Elizabeth asked quietly, "So that's the girl Carly was talking about?"

"Mhmm.. What do you think?"

"Brenda's got a lot of explaining to do. And Jason.. Poor kid. She comes all the way here thinking she'll finally have a family, she finds out her father's dead."

"I know.. That's if she's telling the truth."

"There's something about her, Sam.. I honestly think she is." Liz said as she added, "If you want, we can run DNA while we're doing this?"

"Please? I just want the truth out, so if she's trying to pull some sick joke with Franco, she'll be exposed before anyone gets hurt."

Liz approached the girl and handed her the clipboard, then sat down, as she filled out the papers. Then she followed Ellie Trout down to the lab, quietly.

As she lie on the table, waiting on the test to be ran, Ellie asked casually, "So surely you'll stay around, with your little brother in the hospital."

"Only if I am who that piece of paper says I am, and only if I'm actually wanted.. Kinda learned at a young age not to force myself on anyone."

"I see. So.. Where are you from?"

" Lived in Las Vegas for a long time, so there I suppose." Jolene said as she bit her lip, let the needle pierce her skin. She'd also consented to a DNA test, to put her own doubts, anyone else's doubts to rest, so they were doing that part first.

"Sorry about your misfortune." Ellie said quietly as Jolene said in response, "Probably woulda been a disappointment to 'em both anyway.."

"How do you know?"

"Story of my life, nurse, story of my life." Jolene answered as she sat up, prepared for the actual test to determine whether she'd be a marrow donor for her little half brother, Danny or not.

When she'd finished, she walked out into the hallway, sat down, looking at her worn down Converses quietly, not really saying much until a curious AJ sat down next to her and clearing his throat asked, "Is it true, what they're saying over there?"

Jolene looked up at the man and said simply, "You'll know as soon as I do, sir.. I better be a match for that kid in there. He's done nothing to deserve this shit." before looking down at her hands again.

AJ sat looking at her.. She reminded him a lot of Jason, few words, blunt and to the point.. But there was the possibility she could still be lying.

For some reason, he didn't feel the way he thought he would upon meeting her.. When Carly let him know what Franco told her in the hotel earlier that evening, he'd been expecting a false, another con.

He still had a bitter taste in his mouth from the last one, he was still so very furious at losing it all. But for some reason, he just wanted the girl sitting in the next seat to get the answers she obviously needed.

"How long until they know?" she asked as she drummed her fingers against her legs, wondering if she had time to step out and smoke or just scream her frustration at this situation out or something.

Even if the kid in that crib turned out NOT to be her brother, her entire records turned out to be a lie, he was still too young to deserve anything that was happening to him right now. She might have been a touch sensitive, but that's just how she felt about things.

"Shouldn't take too long, I mean, it didn't with me, or my son, Michael."

"Yeah, but sir? I have the worlds shittiest luck." Jolene stated as she stood and said "I've gotta step out.. Scream or something." before practically flying out of the hospital.

Once in the parking lot, she screamed and kicked at a garbage can letting her rage and fury out finally. This entire situation she found herself in right now was definitely NOT what she'd been thinking she'd find when she came looking for answers. She'd sat down back on the sidewalk, hugging her arms around her knees against her chest when somebody spoke from behind her.

"I heard you screaming.. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, damn it." she lied as she jammed the palms of her hands into her eyes to rid them of the unshed tears she'd been about to cry. All the stress and pent up anger, now this.. It wasn't doing anything for her.

"Obviously not if you're kicking at cans and screaming."

"It's.. I came to town looking for my birth parents.. Didn't find 'em.. Did find a half brother who's really, really sick and I hate this shit.. It always happens to people who do not deserve it. Never people who do."

"I know." the disembodied voice said as Jason swore to himself from the darkened area he stood in. He wanted to come out of hiding, tell them all he was still alive, but to do that, he'd be putting a huge target on all of their backs.. Somebody was after all of them.

One of Sonny's oldest enemies.

The longer he stayed away, he kept telling himself, the safer they all were.. But having to see his son only when he could sneak in without being seen? Never getting to hold him, never getting to hold Sam, tell her he was there with her.. It hardly seemed worth it.

If something didn't give soon, he was saying to hell with it. His wife needed him, their son needed him. First, he just had to be sure it was at least a little safer for all of them for him to come back.

He also couldn't wait to see what excuse Brenda gave as to why she'd never told him that due to their one night stand after they'd gotten 'married' he was a father.

"I heard you playing guitar earlier. You're really good at it."

"Thanks.. But can you come out or something, because this talking to you but not seeing you is really making me paranoid."

"I need to get going, actually.. But you'll see me soon.. So will everyone else. And Jo?"

"Hmm?"

"Your father would have loved you, even if you were the worst person on Earth.. Your mother would have probably kicked herself for giving you up." Jason said quietly as he took off into the shadows.

Being as shaken up as she was about everything so far, Jolene didn't realize that unless the man had been following her earlier, or for the whole time she'd been here, practically, he'd have no way of knowing any of that, until she got back inside, sat down in her chair.

Alexis looked up from her magazine and asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

"Sort of, ma'am.. Thanks for asking." Jo said as she picked up a Rolling Stone, started to read it. Since this was a high profile and need to know type thing, there was a rush on the results.. Normally, it'd take 3 to 5, maybe even 10 days, but given the situation, the results were being returned in a day tops.

Jolene intended fully to sit here, wait until she knew.

The man walked in and sat down, picked up a newspaper. She instantly got a really, really bad feeling about the guy, but she said nothing. As she picked up a local newspaper, she realized he was the editor.. She bit her lower lip, kept her thoughts to herself.

She'd just nodded off when she was being prodded awake gently by Sam who said with a quiet smile, "You can go get some sleep if you want."

"I'm fine, ma'am." Jolene said simply as she stood and popped her back then said "I wasn't.. Snoring or anything, was I?"

"Not really.. Kept sounding like you were having a nightmare though." Carly spoke up as she looked at the girl. Would she ever get used to seeing Jason's eyes on the girl? And what if this was all some elaborate scheme between this girl and Franco?

Why stay here all night with total strangers then?

Jo walked down the hallway past the man who'd come in earlier, given her a bad vibe.. and she heard his footsteps fall in behind her.. She'd gotten to the vending machines, stood in front of the one that serviced coffee, and she saw him in the glass behind her.

"I, umm, couldn't help but overhear.. They're saying you could be Jason Morgan's daughter from a previous relationship?"

"I don't know why the hell you followed me down here, sir, but I'm going to count to three.. If you're not gone by the time I hit three, I'm kicking you in the balls and finding security. You don't scare me.. I don't scare easily, so if that's what you were attempting? You missed the mark."

He smirked to himself as he said "So if I get them all.. Surely it'll bring you out of hiding, won't it, Morgan?" to himself and punched the air in victory.

Now he had to deal with his sister Ava getting mixed up in all this.. Because he knew Corinthos would do anything to get to him, including hurting his sister, his niece.. But Ava took care of that when she tricked Morgan into marrying Kiki, so that only left him to worry about Ava's well being..

Jolene dozed back off, only to be woken up by her name being called by the lab technician from earlier, Ellie Trout.

She bit her lip, because this was the moment of truth on every level.. Was she really who she'd found out she was, or was this all some sick joke someone was playing, not only on her, but on her birth parents as well?

She wasn't stupid, she'd done her research after finding out who they were, coming here to find them.. Between the two of them, they had plenty of powerful enemies that'd do something like this, wouldn't think twice about it.

Ellie handed Sam the envelope with the DNA test results in it and AJ muttered, "Well, here we go.. Let's see if I'm right.."

Tracy eyed the girl suspiciously and then muttered, "If she's Jason's child..."

Nobody had told Monica yet, because Monica took Jason's death pretty hard, and they wanted an answer before she was told. It was in her own best interest.

"The DNA tests say she's a match.. Jason is 99.9 percent her father." Sam muttered as Jolene bit her lower lip, looked at her hands.. She didn't want to look up and see all the disappointed faces at learning that yes, she was a part of their family, like it or not. Then again, when you've lived through some of the things she had, she'd be used to it by now.. Or she'd like to think so.

AJ blinked as he asked, "Say that again?"

"She is Jason's daughter.. But she's not a match for Danny."

Jolene sighed and swearing said quietly, "God damn it. That's not even remotely close to fair.." as she looked around and then said simply, "Go ahead.. You guys can be disappointed or whatever, I'm not going to blame you."

Her cell phone ringing had her brow raising, as well as some of her father's more conservative family members, as it was a Motorhead song, Hellraiser.

She stepped out to take the call, and all she could hear was heavy breathing. This was the fourth time this week she'd gotten the call. "If you're gonna try and scare me, asshole, at least say something. Because I'll find who's doing this, and when I do, buddy? You're dead." she said as she shoved the phone into her pocket, paced a few minutes, lighting up a cigarette.

"You shouldn't smoke." AJ spoke from behind her as he stepped out and asked, "Problems?"

"Yeah, some jackass apparently decided that once he got the wrong number, he was going to keep on harassing me.. Hey, if he gets his jollies by calling people and breathing in a sexual manner, not my fault.. But so help me God if I ever find a way to track this creepo, I'm going to rip his tongue out, shove it up his ass."

AJ snickered a moment and then said "You remind me a lot of my brother.."

"What was my dad like?"

"For the most part, he wasn't a really emotional guy.. But you could tell he loved his family, you could tell he'd do whatever it took to keep them safe, happy.. Being a hitman.. That wasn't him before the accident, Jo.. I want you to know that.. Your dad isn't some mercenary for hire.. He wasn't always a stone cold killer either.. And if you'll come back inside with me, with us.."

"You guys want me up there? But I'm like.. The black sheep or something.. I mean I know that one old dragon faced lady with the red hair hates me.."

AJ snickered and said simply, "Little known secret, Jo.. Tracy hates everyone she thinks is an outsider.. Now that you're proven to be his daughter though, she probably won't change.. She never really got along with either me or Jason."

Sam sat in the waiting room trying to get her head around what she'd just learned, seething in anger at what Brenda might have done. Her mother cut through her inner rage as she said "You're the PI.. Dig around and make sure there's not more to it.. I just can't see Brenda giving up a child freely.. Something about the situation isn't right, Sam.."

"I know, mom.. And that's what makes this so confusing.. What the hell do I tell Brenda, if I find out she's spent all this time assuming her baby was dead?"

"You tell her the truth."

"God I wish Jason had been here to meet her.."

"So you tell her about the Jason you fell in love with, Sam.. In some ways, you're as much her mother as Brenda would be.. She needs family, you've seen the look in her eyes, you've heard her when she talks.. She's never had a family before."

"I know." Sam said as she stood and walked down the hallway, just in time to see AJ walking back in with Jolene. "I caught up to her." he said as he walked over to talk to Liz who he was sort of seeing currently, on and off again.

"Is mom at work now?" AJ asked Liz as she nodded and then asked, "Well? All I know is Ellie got the results back a few minutes ago.. Is she?"

"She is."

"Can't wait to hear Brenda lie her way out of this one." Liz muttered as she looked up at AJ and said "You.. You are her uncle.. I know Franco is too.. But it's up to you to make sure she knows BOTH sides of her father.. You and Sam, Monica.. The people who loved him. I get this feeling she's never actually had a family before."

"She hasn't."

Franco walked into the sitting area, then asked, "Did they find anything out?" as he looked around, ignoring the looks and hatred he got. He didn't care what any of them thought, he was family, he deserved to be there as much as any of them, he wasn't going to let them railroad the poor kid into feeling like an outsider like they were notorious for doing.

"She is Jason and Brenda's daughter."

"Good. Now she has a family." Franco said as he stopped to talk to Jo, asked her if she were alright.

"Yeah, I think I'll be okay here." Jolene said after she thought about it a few moments.

Monica walked down to the waiting area, as she did every morning, to talk to Sam, visit her grandson for a few minutes before work. Today, she looked around, found nearly everyone in the family sitting there, including a girl in a pair of ratty dark rinse skinny jeans, a t shirt advertising a heavy metal band and ancient looking converses.

This girl was practically dragged up to her a few moments later by Sam who handed her an envelope, and then a manila folder, the one that Franco had first grabbed at the cafe and given to Carly, as Sam said with a quiet smile, "Monica.. This is Jason's daughter, Jolene.. Apparently, from what we can figure out, Brenda either gave her up for adoption, or someone went to a lot of trouble to make Brenda believe she was dead.. But I'm going to look into it as soon as I have time.."

Monica looked at the girl and said quietly, "Hi." as she asked, "Are you going to be staying here?"

"Maybe." Jolene said simply as she looked at her half brother through the glass and sighing said "I can't believe he's going through this. Never happens to the bad people.."

"I know. I hate it too." Monica said as she asked, "How old are you?"

"19. I just turned 19 actually." Jolene said as she bit her nail and then asked, "How'd my father die?"

Sam and Monica went quiet, looked at one another a moment.. Monica finally said quietly, "Someone was going to shoot him from behind.. When they did, he fell off the pier into the water. You know what he did, right?"

"He was a hitman."

"Yes, and he was always in danger. But he wasn't a bad person, Jolene.. Sometimes we make choices.." Monica started as she asked, "How long have you been on your own?"

"Since I was 17, give or take.. " Jolene admitted as she said quietly, "That's when I ran away.. I suppose if you really thought about it, you could safely say I've spent over half my life alone."

They talked a little longer and Carly stepped out to call Jacks and Brenda.. She did this with a smirk, convinced that somehow, little Ms. Perfect was finally about to fall right off her pedestal.. What she found out during the call was that Brenda was a victim in all this too.. She'd been on her way back to Jason (she'd left, went away when the fake marriage didn't work and Sonny and she were over then too) to tell him about Jolene when she went into labor.. When she came to, all she was ever told was that her daughter was dead, she hadn't lived through the night.

Carly hung up and then said quietly, "What the hell is going on here? Someone did this.. But who?" as she paced thinking about it, she got a call back from Brenda, asking if there were any way possible to keep Jo in town.

"Sure.. Are you coming here to straighten this out?" Carly asked stiffly, trying to be civil.

"What do you think? If my baby girl is alive, yes I'm coming to straighten this out. You said Franco booked her a room in the Metro Court.. Charge it to me.. The less time she spends around that particular uncle, the better I'll feel as a mother." Brenda said as she turned to Jacks and then said "Remember how I told you that I lost a baby ?"

"Yes."

"Apparently, not only is she alive and well, but she's in Port Charles right now. She came to track down me and Jason."

"Why? I mean I know why she'd track you down, Brenda.. But why Jason?" Jacks asked, his eyes boring into her, demanding an instant answer.

"Because, Jacks.. She would have been his daughter.. Jason was her father."

He glared as he said quietly, "And you've never told him this?"

"I wanted to, but when they told me I lost her, she died an hour after being born, I just.. I couldn't tell him he was a father, but he'd just lost a baby.. Think, Jacks.. That would have killed you, had it been you."

Back in the waiting room, in Port Charles, Jolene turned to Sam and asked, "Can I... Can I go in there? I just wanna hold him."

"Sure.. Do you want me to go in too?"

"Yeah.. If you don't mind.. The machines kind of scare the living shit out of me." she admitted as Molly and Kristina spoke up, "Us too. I hate this.. Spending all our time hoping there's a donor out there for him."

"Me too."

Down in the parking garage, Jason stood, staring out at the city below him.. In a few hours, he was going to get them all together and come out.. Tell them why he'd had to disappear, tell them what he'd found out and be tested to be a donor for his son a second time, just to be sure.

In the small room, Sam and Jolene sat, Jolene holding Danny, humming a Metallica song to him as she rocked the chair back and forth.. Out in the waiting room, Alexis happened to be holding both Sam's phone and Jolene's phone, when they simultaneously got texts from Jason's long deactivated cell phone simply saying, "Haunted Star, 7 PM"

She tapped on the window of the nursery, held up their cell phones so they'd know they'd gotten texts. Then her own phone as well as quite a few others around her went off and they all said the same thing. Carly and AJ stood, AJ fuming as he said "I'm gonna go find Liz.. If she got one too, then I'm killing that lying son of a bitch brother of mine, Franco.. Because he's got to be behind this."

Everything was starting to come together.. But was this the beginning of a really bad situation? Or a bad situation that'd existed all along, getting worse?

* * *

AUTHORS NOTES:

I was inspired to write this when I saw some footage online of Jason and Brenda's 'mock wedding'. I liked them as a pair, but I am team JaSam, so this will be a JaSam x ofc x ? story.

It's meant to be an ensemble, I realize it couldn't possibly happen on the show, and if it could, they'd never get it even half assed right, so I decided to write this, see if anyone liked it. If you do, cool, and I hope you'll keep reading it..

If not, sorry.

But if you want more, let me know via review.. Also, trying a little 'humanistic' side to Franco.. The side we sort of saw when he was crushed to find Kiki was not his daughter? Yeah, so sue me.

Thinking of pairing her with Johnny strictly because I miss him. Unless you can think of someone better suited and NOT related?


	3. Chapter 3

"_Ever Since The Beginning, To Keep The World Spinning, It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds"_

_- All Kinds Of Kinds, Miranda Lambert_

_CHAPTER 01 PART O__3:_

7:00 PM

Haunted Star Nightclub / Casino

She looked around warily, the small crowd of people gathered, having received the same text as she'd gotten earlier today while at the hospital.

"Anyone have any idea what's going on?" Jolene asked her father's wife, Sam, who shrugged and said "All I do know is whoever's behind it, well, if this is some sick joke, if Franco's screwing with us again, I will kill whoever is behind it. The person used your father's deactivated cellular phone to send the text."

Jolene nodded and said stiffly, "I wish they'd hurry the hell up, we need to get back to Danny." as she fumbled around in her pockets, looking for her lighter, something to mess with to keep her mind from going in too many directions at once. After all, she'd just had an eventful morning, and from what Sam was telling her on the ride to the Haunted Star, tonight was bound to be as eventful as this morning.

If this stuff kept up, she'd easily surpass a pack of cigarettes every two days.

Michael edged into the room and tapped his mother on the shoulder, asked, "It's not Franco screwing around again, right?"

"Whoever it is, they really pissed off a lot of people when they broke into PCPD's evidence vault and got your uncle Jason's cell phone out, used it to text us somehow."

"Yeah. I keep asking myself how they managed to do it.. Is that his?" Michael asked as he nodded in the direciton of the quiet brunette with slightly damp and long, wavy hair, shades perched on top of her head.

"Yes. That's Jolene.. She's your cousin."

"AJ told me. He also told me that she talked to him earlier at the hospital, shortly after the tests were done, he explained to her about the share holder thing.."

"Yeah.. She turned her shares over to him and to you, said you two would probably have a better sense of buisness, how to invest them than she would.. Personally, I think she did it just to piss off your aunt Tracy, they were arguing sporadically last night."

"She has Jason's eyes." Michael observed as he walked over to where the brunette sat, sprawled on the floor, holding her guitar in her lap as she also held a notepad that'd seen better days, a pen pressed between her pale pink lips, lost in thought.

She moved and Michael caught a sight of a tattoo, peeking from beneath the strap of a tanktop, it looked like roses with a spiderweb and lace intertwined throughout, a black spider sitting in the web. The tattoo alone had him raising a brow, but regardless, he sat down, being flanked with his younger brother Morgan who he noticed seemed to be minus Kiki tonight, and apparently, from the looks of it, in full on charmer mode.

"Hi. I'm Morgan." Morgan introduced himself as Jolene looked up, gave a slight smirk of acknowledgement and said "Jo." popping a bubble with spearmint gum she'd been practically living on since Sam snatched her smokes back at the hospital, tossed them in the garbage.

"Sorry about Jason.. I mean it's gotta suck, you find your dad, find out he's been dead almost 6 months." Morgan tried as Michael shot his brother a look over Jo's hunched shoulders.

"Yeah, it does.. But hey, I found out I had a family, I'm not some alien or something, so yeah." Jolene said as she popped her fingers and then scowled at her notepad again, scratching through something she'd just written.

"Whatcha doing?" Morgan asked, trying to converse with her, maybe just to get Michael a little mad at him.. Hey, Michael kissed his wife, so Morgan felt like he deserved to at least flirt with Jo.

Funny thing was, most of the tricks Morgan used on most other girls that worked really, really well, they weren't phasing Jolene at all.

"Writing a song."

"About what?"

"Life." Jolene muttered as she looked over at Michael and asked, " Yo.. You spell excruciating, e – x – c – r – u – c- I -a – t – I -n – g, right?"

"Yeah." Michael said as he managed a smile and then said "About earlier.. AJ didn't pressure you into signing over the shares you were entitled to, right?"

"Nope.. Do I honestly look like I'd fit in with the whole corporate thing?" Jolene asked as she said "Besides, not sure if I'm gonna stick around yet or not.."

"You should." Michael said as Spinelli walked over, sat down.

"You got a text too?" Michael asked as Spinelli nodded grimly, obviously torn by something on his mind.

The door opened again and Brenda walked in, trying to ignore the looks of disgust and hurt she got from some of the Quartermaines, they all still pretty much thought that she was convienently saying what she did about having Jolene, being lied to by a doctor, to save her own skin at this point.

As soon as she saw the girl sitting in the floor, a notebook, a guitar in her lap, she knew.. That was their little girl.

She walked over quietly, sat down nearby, Monica asked her quietly, "How could you hide something like this?"

"Because I told you all when I arrived, I thought she was dead. Now that I know she's not, I fully intend to be in her life. I realize you all do not believe me, but frankly, I don't care, because I know it's the truth. Why would I lie about that?"

Monica thought it over, said nothing. Tracy, however, spoke up and said "Hmm.. So you can keep using our family?"

"Tracy, shut up." Liz muttered from where she sat by AJ who was shocked that his niece just turned over the chance to make a fortune. "How do you just do that and not think twice?"

"Jason tried to, remember?" Liz said as AJ nodded and then said quietly, "But she turned it over to me and Michael.. She barely knows us."

"If you're asking me what I think, I think it's her subtle way of saying she trusts you. You were the least judgemental one out of your family, other than Monica." Liz pointed out as Sam nodded and said "She told me she signed it over because having that much of a say so in something she knew nothing about just felt wrong."

Brenda sat watching her daughter, really trying to get a sense of the girls personality, just by observing her. She looked exactly how Brenda pictured she'd look so many times in her head when she'd try to imagine having her daughter as a part of her life.

Jason's blue eyes though.

"You should at least go talk to her." Carly said as she watched Brenda watching her daughter.

"I am.. I just.. I'm trying to figure out how to say what happened.."

The storm that'd started earlier in the night picked up in intensity as Johnny served some of the others present alcohol, quietly watched the 19 year old sitting sprawled in the floor, writing, playing her guitar every now and then.

His watching her didn't go missed because AJ made his way over and said calmly, "She's my niece.. If I were you, I'd stay away from her.. I never really got to make up to my brother how our own relationship went so wrong, I fully intend to protect his son and Jolene."

Johnny rolled his eyes, shrugged, wiped down the bar.. It wasn't like she'd go for him anyway, besides, despite the connection he felt to her, the simple fact was he was 25 and she was only 19. It'd be wrong, she was practically still a kid.

The lights started to dim in the room and Jolene bit her lower lip, looked up and around. She spotted her birth mother and then looked down quickly, still not sure how to feel about her.. The simple fact of it was that Brenda left town instead of simply telling her father she was pregnant with her.. She might claim that she wasn't going to give Jolene up, but if she weren't, why leave town?

Why not tell her father about her?

"Hi." Brenda said quietly, making the girl jump at least a foot in the air, right as her phone started to ring, a female singing the song Broken Dream.

"Umm..." Jolene said quietly as she looked at the woman warily, ignoring her phone ringing.

"I know what you think.. And I won't blame you if you hate me.. But there's more than one side to this story, I hope you'll at least let me tell mine.." Brenda said quietly as Jolene nodded and then said cautiously, "I will.. Doesn't mean I'll believe a word of it, but yes, you can explain your side of the story to me."

Brenda smiled and then asked, "Aren't you going to answer that?"

"It's probably some creep who's been calling,breathing heavily and hanging up after I curse him out." Jolene said as Michael and Dillon who'd just walked in, looked over and asked, "How long have you been getting those calls?"

"Since I got to town started asking questions." Jolene said, giving them a blank look, not making a connection.

She stood and stretching, she jogged over to Sam, sat down and asked, "Is this thing ever going to get started?"

"Hopefully."

Brenda gaped at the tattoo on her 19 year old daughter's shoulder, read the banner woven into the roses and spiderweb/lace, 'Only God Can Judge Me'

She groaned.. something told her if she'd been allowed to have her daughter, if someone hadn't taken the time to seperate them, the two of them as mother and daughter would have bumped heads more than a little bit.

The lights went even lower and Jolene wiggled back into her spot between her father's wife Sam and her uncle AJ, his girlfriend Elizabeth as she muttered, "Damn it, this feels off.. I've got a really, really weird feeling."

The door opened and a shadow stood in the doorway before stepping into view, everyone in the room gaping as Jason lowered the hood on his jacket and said calmly, "I know you're all going to be pissed."

"That's an understatement. " Sam muttered as she asked him, "Why didn't you just come back to us?"

"Sam, don't get angry.. Let him talk.. Then we can get angry." Liz and Carly muttered as Monica nodded in agreement and added, "He better have a damn good explanation."

"I didn't know who I was until this week when I happened to drive past the Port Charles sign and my memory came back."

"You had amnesia?"

"Yes, I had amnesia... But I've already had the doctors check me out, before anyone goes into freakout panic mode." Jason said carefully as he leaned in to kiss Sam, hold her against him. Sam was clearly still in shock. "Danny.. Is he.."

"They found a match.. My.. My birth father." Sam said as she started to cry, the anger turning into confusion and just relief that this was finally over for her.. The hard part, at least.. The hardest part still lie ahead for both of them and as mad as she might be, she knew she had to let it go for the sake of their son.

She'd never been able to stay angry with Jason long, though, it wasn't like that was a secret. And right now, she was happy.. She'd known it all along. He was alive..

"I knew you weren't gone, Jason."

"Did you send the texts, Jason?" Carly asked as Jason nodded and then glared across the room at Brenda. He had a lot he wanted to say at her, none of it good, but for now that could wait.. Right now, he wanted to see his wife, his son, his family.. He wanted to get to know his daughter since thanks to Brenda, he'd been denied the right to do so.

Everyone sat quietly, trying to process what they were finding out now.. All this time, Jason had been alive, out there, with amnesia, no clue who he was, or how badly he'd been missed.

Jolene bit her lip as she studied the man intently, not sure what to say to him, or do at this moment even. Out of fairness, she hung back, let Sam have time with him, after all, she was really the one hurting, she'd known him longer..

Jason made his way over to his daughter with Brenda, looked at her for a few moments, then hugged her as he said " I told you.. Your father would love you, even if you were the worst person in the world.. Also said you'd see me soon."

"That was.. It was you?" Jolene asked as she looked at him quietly, hugging back, but warily, not sure whether to let her guard down around all of these new people in her life.. She only really trusted his wife, his brothers Franco and AJ, maybe Michael, and Monica her grandmother.

"It was. And we're going to have a serious talk about the cigarettes."

"Shit." she muttered as Jason made his way around, talking to everyone, then explaining again to everyone how he'd had amnesia, and when he realized who he was, he'd also realized someone was out to get everyone connected to himself or Sonny.. And then he told him that he thought he knew at least two of the men involved.

Jolene sat trying to absorb the shock and her birth mother came to sit down beside her and said "Somehow, I'm going to figure out who did this, seperated us.. I don't want you believeing that I was going to just toss you out like you weren't wanted.. I did want you.. I left town to keep you safe."

Jolene nodded numbly, and after a while longer, people started leaving, everyone still largely in shock.

She was about to walk out, back down to the hotel she'd been staying in, but Jason stopped her and said "Your mom had a room in my apartment.. It's yours."

"A-are you sure? I mean I don't wanna crowd anyone."

"You're not crowding me if you're my little girl, Jo." Jason said quietly as he added, "I'd rather you live with me. Thanks to people and events, we lost 19 years.."

"Can I get my stuff from the hotel?"

Carly said quietly, "I'll bring it by in the morning.. Or Michael can." Michael nodded and then said "Sure."

"Okay.." Jolene said as she walked off the boat behind her father, his wife... So far, everything seemed to be falling in place.. But the jaded 19 year old knew better than to settle in, let her guard down too much because that's exactly when things started to fall apart all around her.

For now, she'd just focus on getting to know her birth parents, because she'd promised she'd at least come out and eat breakfast at her mother's lake cottage in the morning.

Maybe she'd finally get the normal life she'd been craving for so long.. But she had to wonder, what was in store for her now, really..

* * *

AUTHORS NOTES:

Thanks so much for the reviews, I'm glad this is being read, I'm glad you guys all like this so far.. I'm sort of trying to tie up some inconsistencies, things that didn't make sense to me.. I might be bringing back some old characters that should never have died, so bear with me..

For those of you who vote Johnny, awesome.. I'm seriously considering him as a pairing for Jolene, I just don't see her fitting well with a resurrected Logan or a resurrected Diego, and SpinGeo is an OTP of mine, as well as Lante and Spixie, so I can't break 'em up, I get a little antsy when it even looks like they might have been or might be trying to on the show.

I'll consider Diego, however, if anyone just feels she fits him better. For now, just gotta build up her family ties first, take my time.. Sorry if it's slow in starting, I try and take my time with these fics I write.


	4. Chapter 4

"_Ever Since The Beginning, To Keep The World Spinning, It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds"_

_- All Kinds Of Kinds, Miranda Lambert_

_CHAPTER 01 PART O4__:_

10 PM

Jason and Sam's Penthouse, Settling In

"Your mother's room was the blinding pink abomination at the end of the hallway." Jason said as he stepped to one side, let his oldest child into the apartment. She stood there a few moments, looking around the place, almost as if she weren't sure she wanted to go in or not, but finally, she stepped completely in the room and put down her guitar case as she asked for what had to be the millionth time that night, "Are you and Sam sure I'm not gonna be crowding you guys?"

"Not at all." Sam said as she smiled and then asked, "Do you have anything to sleep in?"

"Not really..." Jolene muttered as she raked her hand through her hair and said "I can deal with this, not a big deal, really."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure a pair of my pj's will fit." Sam asked as she smiled at the dark haired late teenaged age girl.

"I'm sure. Thanks though." Jolene muttered as she walked down the hallway, warily. When the door to the pink room shut, Jason looked at Sam and said quietly, "Wow."

"Yeah. She's that much like you." Sam chuckled as she held Danny out to Jason, let Jason hold his son as she said "We found a donor.."

"You told me at the Haunted Star.. This guy.. Have you looked into him? I'm going to go myself and get tested tomorrow.. I'd rather the marrow come from me, Danny's father, than from some virtual stranger." Jason said calmly as Sam said quietly, "He's not really a stranger, he's my father.."

Jason studied her a moment and then asked, "Have you met him?"

"A few times.. I'm just.. I'm not sure how to act around the guy, I mean he's here because he took over the newspaper and Crimson."

"A bad feeling?" Jason asked in concern as he looked at Sam, held her close.

"Somewhat. Yeah, you could say that.. A really bad feeling about him and his intentions." Sam muttered as they looked at one another when the guitar began to play softly from inside the pink room. Jason grumbled about Brenda's having kept his daughter from him all this time, then he said quietly, "I get this feeling she's been disappointed a lot, hurt a lot in life."

"Me too." Sam said as she sighed and then said "She's here now, let's just try and make her feel welcome, make her feel like she is a part of this family. Do you know according to what I've found on her, she's been alone since she was 17? She apparently got sick of her foster parents, packed her stuff and left."

"Wow.. Can I see what you found?" Jason asked as Sam nodded, held out the file folders and then said "I'm gonna go grab a bottle for Danny."

Jason nodded, began to read the folders, the things his wife found on his oldest child. Maybe this would help him sort of bond with her. He hoped it did.

He wasn't really too sure about letting her around Brenda much, still angry with her for not telling him about Jolene in the first place. He'd just finished reading when the door to the room she was sleeping in closed, and Jolene cleared her throat as she sat down, asked quietly, "Are you sure Sam's okay with this?"

"She wants you to stay here as much as I do, Jo." Jason said firmly as he looked at her and then said "That being said.. You're going to quit smoking.. And I think it's better if you stick around.. I didn't really get a chance to be your dad, thanks to circumstances.. I want to."

"Yes sir." Jolene said quietly, biting her lower lip as she added, "The smoking though.. I'm not really sure if I'll quit, sir. I've been doing it so long now.."

"You're going to try. It's not good for you." Jason said firmly as he asked, "So.. How did you get around after you ran from that last place you lived in?"

"Played my guitar in bars and nightclubs, waitressed, hustled some people in pool.."

"Something tells me you need eyes on you."

"Not really. I just do what I can and have to to survive, sir." Jolene said as she thought a few moments and then asked, "Is that your motorcycle in the garage?"

"It is.. Do you ride?"

"I sort of dated a guy who did once when I lived in Seattle.. He was trying to teach me, then I got sent to another home.. Didn't see him again.. Never really got to finish learning how." she admitted as Jason smiled a little and asked, "Are you hinting you want to?"

"Either that or to drive?"

Jason blinked and then asked, "You've never driven a car?"

"Nope.. Kinda people that took me in.. They never really had the time or the money, or didn't wanna, so I didn't bug 'em about it that much."

"I'll teach you." Jason promised as he asked, "Did you at least graduate high school?"

"Yeah. Last year." Jolene said as she sighed then said "Don't know what I'm gonna do about college, every time I think about registering, I get overwhelmed by the stuff I could go for..."

"What do you want to do?"

"Really? I want to be a songwriter or something, I just.. I don't want to do only that.. I know it's not a real job, sir.."

"It's not, but it's a good hobby.. Maybe you do something for broadcasting?"

"That might not be a bad idea.." Jolene said as she took Danny back from Sam who'd just walked into the room again, held him on her lap as she said quietly, "Little guy.. I'm gonna take you to the park, read to you.. I kinda always wanted younger siblings.."

Sam smiled as Jason nudged her and smiled, mouthed, "I'm just glad to be home."

"I'm just glad you're alive and safe. That maybe now, we can be a family."

"We will, Sam, I promise."

* * *

AUTHORS NOTES:

Thanks so much for the reviews, I'm glad this is being read, I'm glad you guys all like this so far.. I'm sort of trying to tie up some inconsistencies, things that didn't make sense to me.. I might be bringing back some old characters that should never have died, so bear with me..

For those of you who vote Johnny, awesome.. I'm seriously considering him as a pairing for Jolene, I just don't see her fitting well with a resurrected Logan or a resurrected Diego, and SpinGeo is an OTP of mine, as well as Lante and Spixie, so I can't break 'em up, I get a little antsy when it even looks like they might have been or might be trying to on the show.

I'll consider Diego, however, if anyone just feels she fits him better. For now, just gotta build up her family ties first, take my time.. Sorry if it's slow in starting, I try and take my time with these fics I write.


	5. Chapter 5

"_Ever Since The Beginning, To Keep The World Spinning, It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds"_

_- All Kinds Of Kinds, Miranda Lambert_

_CHAPTER 01 PART O5__:_

8 AM

Jason and Sam's Penthouse, Settling In

Her alarm on her cell phone went off at 8 and she tiptoed down the hallway to her baby brother's room, gently pushing the door open, finding Danny awake, picking him up. "Hey little man."

Danny smiled as he reached for the bandanna in her hair, cooing softly. "You hungry?" she asked as she walked down the hallway, into the kitchen, finding his formula, a pan and his bottle.

A throat cleared from behind her, and the guy who'd been at the hospital sporadically, shuffled in, groggily feeling around for the handle to the fridge. "You alright there, buddy?" Jolene asked, studying the guy with a bit of amusement.

"Worst night of my life." Spinelli simply said as Jolene nodded and then said "That why you looked so down at the gathering last night?"

"Basically, yes. The Jackyll is happy you've chosen to stay with your family, Musical Prodigeny of Stone Cold."

"Huh?" Jolene asked with a blank look as she shifted her baby brother around in his arms, used her free hand to test the formula she had heating.

"Nothing."

"No, ya said something, I just don't know for the life of me what the hell you meant." Jolene insisted as she looked at Danny and smiling said "Let's go see if there's anything on tv, little guy." before stopping in the doorway, turning to Spinelli and saying quietly, "If ya want.. There's Lucky Charms, and I'm gonna watch cartoons with Danny while he gets his bottle.. The way you look, man, wouldn't be a good idea to spend too much time alone right now." as she shrugged, disappeared into the den, flipping through the tv, Danny in her lap, drinking his bottle.

A few moments, Spinelli stood there, wondering what made her so cool, a little more than reserved. Then he shrugged, walked into the small den, flopped onto a couch, sitting there, trying to think of something to say. He'd slept on the futon in what had been his room when he lived at Casa Stone Cold last night, so he'd gotten a rather vivid insight to what sounded like a series of neverending and horrific nightmares.

She burst into sporadic laughter as she leaned down, brushed her lips to her baby brother's head, frowning when he felt like he had a fever. "Shit.. Hey, guy.. Come here, would ya?"

"Is something wrong?"

"I think Danny's has a fever, but I can't tell."

Spinelli felt the child's head, it felt normal to him. He told her so and she asked warily, "You sure, because.. Chemo.."

"Yes, the Jackyll is sure."

Sam stood in the doorway with Jason behind her, watching Jolene with Danny, the pair of them watching cartoons currently. Jason smiled and took out his cell phone, snapped a photo of them quietly before stepping into the room and asking, "Did you sleep alright?"

"Yeah.. Didn't even notice the blinding pink walls. Shoved my head under the pillow, I was out like a light." Jolene said, completely unaware that Spinelli had come in at least an hour later, and heard her having violent nightmares.

"You can redecorate.. We'd really like it if you stayed." Jason said as Sam nodded and smiling said "We really would.. This past week, having you there with me and your brother.. It's helped a lot. And Danny already loves you."

Jolene thought it over, raked her hand through her hair as she said finally, "If you're both sure I'm not gonna be in the way. I mean that kid, Rafe.. He's staying here too, right?"

"He's moved into his uncle Silas apartment." Sam said as she smiled and asked, "Please?"

"Okay.." Jolene said finally, as she caught sight of the time and said "Guess I should at least try and go see what her side is to this story."

"Something tells me you don't really care for being around your mother." Jason asked as Jolene shrugged and said "Just not too sure what to make of her, really. I mean she says she had no idea I was alive.. But I've been hearing a lot of different stuff about her, it's sort of hard to trust her, but I did promise I'd at least let her tell me what happened, her side of the story."

The apartment door was knocked on and Jason opened it and glared, growling a little at seeing his brother, Franco standing on the other side. Franco stepped back and said casually, "Whoa.. I'm taking it nobody told you about me coming back, and why.. I only came by to make sure Jo was alright, bring her things from the Metro Court."

"All I know, Franco, is if you're not out of this building in ten seconds, I'm going to.." Jason started as he took Jolene's things, shut the door on his brother as he said "He's not a good man, Jo."

"But he's your brother."

"He's done some really, really bad things." Sam said as she and Jason began to recount what he'd done, Sam adding in that he'd later revealed that he'd done only a little of the things he'd been accused of, but it still didn't clear his slate.

Jolene nodded thoughtfully, kept quiet on her thoughts. "I'm gonna be back so we can go to the doctor with Danny." she promised as she hugged Jason still slightly unsure of if it were okay, and then Sam, before kissing Danny on the forehead, setting off.

"She's really going to Pozullos in a Black Sabbath t shirt, black holey skinny jeans and boots."

Jason snickered and said "Hey.. At least she's not too much like Brenda. I'm just happy she's alive and we're all together."

Sam nodded as she added, "I just hope she does give her mother a chance, really, I mean you saw what happened when I tried to keep Alexis out of my life."

"Yeah, I hope she does too."

In the hallway, Franco stepped out and said quietly, "If you don't want to see me anymore, I won't blame you. I'm betting your father told you everything."

"He did, yes. But I've waited so long to actually have a family, I'm trying to get my head around it.. Besides, you're trying to change.. If you keep on, sooner or later, it'll pay off, sir."

"Stop it with the sir, I'm not old.. I did, however, get you something." he said as he held out a package of guitar strings, a few picks, a new notepad and pens. "I noticed you needed new strings."

"Thanks.. My songs.. You didn't read 'em, right?"

"Not really. You got your father's penmanship, mine too unfortunately, your writing's kind of hard to read." Franco said as Jolene nodded, stepped onto the elevator, groaning when yet again, Brenda, her mother texted asking if she were up, if she were still going to have breakfast with her.

"Thinking I know where my lack of patience comes from now. I just hope she realizes that it's gonna take me a while to digest whatever she tells me, because frankly, it makes no sense.. If she weren't going to give me up, then why the hell run in the first place?"

The elevator stopped in the lobby and she stepped off, promptly smacking into Johnny who looked at her, smirked, winked casually. "You're up early."

"I have to do something I'm not really looking forward to. Meeting 'her' today, wish me luck."

"Just give her a chance.. There's more than one side to every story." Johnny said as he pulled out her sunglasses and held them out. "Ya left 'em on the piano." he added as Jolene smiled. Their hands touched when she took the sunglasses and she felt this slight buzzing tension but quickly coached herself to ignore it. Somehow, she didn't see herself being his type, and even if she were.. She was hard to love, hard to get to know, for reasons she never talked about.

Johnny watched her walking away, smiled to himself a little. He too had felt the slight electricity in their touching hands, he said nothing, for his own reasons. There was no way in hell he'd ever be worthy of somebody like her, she was too young, it'd be doomed from the start.. It didn't stop him from wishing against all hope that things would work his way, just for once. There was just something about the girl.. He'd thought about the night he heard her playing piano a lot in the past few days..

Standing to wait for a taxi, she heard a throat clearing behind her,and turned to find herself in front of Spinelli. "Umm, hi."

"Hi. The Jackyll thought he would accompany you in the taxi, he's about to go and retrieve his things from his former residence."

"Wait.. You were with that red headed chick, Ellie, right? What the hell happened? You two looked so happy.."

"She lied to the Jackyll about something he held dear to his heart."

"Ahhh.. I see. Sure, you can ride in the taxi with me.. Umm, Brenda.. She's not the bitchy, over the top diva type, right?"

"Not at all.. Musical Prodigeny of Stone Cold takes after Fair Brenda more than she cares to admit." Spinelli said as Jo shrugged and said quietly, "I don't see it, but thanks.. I think." as they both got into the cab, falling silent again, each having their own intense mental battles.

* * *

AUTHORS NOTES:

Thanks so much for the reviews, I'm glad this is being read, I'm glad you guys all like this so far.. I'm sort of trying to tie up some inconsistencies, things that didn't make sense to me.. I might be bringing back some old characters that should never have died, so bear with me..

For those of you who vote Johnny, awesome.. I'm seriously considering him as a pairing for Jolene, I just don't see her fitting well with a resurrected Logan or a resurrected Diego, and SpinGeo is an OTP of mine, as well as Lante and Spixie, so I can't break 'em up, I get a little antsy when it even looks like they might have been or might be trying to on the show.

I'll consider Diego, however, if anyone just feels she fits him better. For now, just gotta build up her family ties first, take my time.. Sorry if it's slow in starting, I try and take my time with these fics I write.


	6. Chapter 6

"_Ever Since The Beginning, To Keep The World Spinning, It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds"_

_- All Kinds Of Kinds, Miranda Lambert_

_CHAPTER 01 PART O6__:_

9 AM

Brenda and Jacks Home, Mother/Daughter Time

She stood on the porch, wondering if this were a good idea. She finally made herself knock and the door was opened by her mother's husband, Jasper Jacks who stepped aside, smiled and let her slink in. She asked cautiously, "Not a bad time, right?"

"Not at all. Brenda's been excited, up all morning. I really hope you'll give your mum a chance to explain her side of the story, Jolene."

"You can call me Jo, sir." Jolene quickly corrected as she smiled at the little blonde girl she'd seen around with Carly while she'd spent a few days in the hospital with her father's wife, Sam, sort of lending support for her baby brother, Danny. A little brown haired boy mobbed her legs and she bent down, ruffling his hair as she asked, "Alex, right?"

The little boy nodded excitedly as he said "We pway trains?"

"Maybe in a little bit, little man." Jolene said as she saw her mother walking into the room. Spinelli's words in the cab on the way over came back and she looked at her birth mother, again not seeing how she'd have anything in common with her birth mother, an internationally known fashion model.

Her idea of high fashion was a pair of jeans that had no holes or wear to them, in all honesty. And she hated makeup for the most part. And looking at the woman, there was no way she even remotely looked like her, really, if she really thought about it.

"Hey, Jolene.. You had an alright night at your fathers, right?" Brenda asked as she looked at her daughter in concern and then patted the couch so she'd sit, stop lingering awkwardly in the doorway as if she weren't sure whether to stay or bolt.

"Yeah.. One question though.. Why in the name of cheese did you pick the color pink?"

Brenda smiled softly and said "Actually, I picked pink because I'd sort of just found out about you and was about to, well, working my nerve up to tell Jason.."

"Ahh."

"And it's my favorite color.. What's yours?" Brenda asked her daughter, her warm brown eyes glinting with curiousity.

"Umm.. Hmm.. If you go by what I wear, it's black.. But bright neon colors are cool too.." Jolene said as she shrugged and said sheepishly, "I'm not.. Not really good at this."

"I know how this has to feel and seem. It's okay." Brenda said calmly as she smiled warmly at her daughter and asked, "Where did you live?"

"Las Vegas." Jolene answered as she asked, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why run if you were going to tell him about me? That's what's giving me such a hard time believing this whole thing, Brenda.. Err, mom?"

"I really had no choice.. Someone put a hit out on Jason and the guy I'd just started seeing at the time, Sonny.. Jason didn't want anything happening to me, we were still friends despite having broken up, so he forced me to leave.. I never got to tell him.. When he called to tell me the danger was gone, and I was on the way back here to tell him.. I went into labor and had you there in Las Vegas.. Apparently, the man who'd been after Jason and Sonny knew somehow, and he took you, paid off some people to make me think you were dead.. I've actually been trying to find you for over a year now."

"I'm sort of a gypsy." Jolene admitted as she asked, "Why?"

"Because the man behind you being taken took your little brother not so long ago, and let's just say he's gone now.. But he told me what happened to you and why, first." Brenda admitted quietly as she watched her daughter processing what she was telling her, adding quickly, "I don't blame you if you don't believe me."

"It's not that, it's just.. This is all really, really weird to me.. I mean it's like some mob movie or something.. That Sonny guy.. He's a mobster too, right?"

"Mhmm.."

"Jacks isn't, right?"

"Nope." Brenda said as she smiled warmly and asked, "What about you? Any boyfriends? You're as pretty as I always pictured you."

"Am not. And nooooo.. No guys for me.. I'm kinda hard to love.. I've been told that, at least." Jolene admitted, shrugging casually as if it didn't bother her. Brenda sighed and asked in concern, "Whoever said it was an idiot. I'm sure you're not."

"Trust me, mom, I am. It's like.. I don't do it intentionally, but I sort of do." Jolene muttered as she said quietly, " This isn't going as badly as I thought it would.. I mean I have to admit.. Coming over here, I sort of had myself convinced that I'd somehow be a disappointment or something."

"You are not a disappointment, baby girl." Brenda promised as she smiled, gently put her arm around her oldest child's shoulder and made the girl look at her as she said "I will never think you're a disappointment."

Jolene nodded. She felt herself getting a little warmer towards Brenda, which wasn't a bad thing.. She had promised her family she'd try to understand the circumstances around Brenda's having left, how she'd come to be taken from her parents when she was born.

Jacks spoke up and said "So.. I heard you're interested in music?"

Jolene nodded and said with a smile, "Yeah.. I sort of taught myself guitar and drums after I learned piano when I was little. I sing too, but.. I'm not that good. I mostly write the songs." as she picked up her brother Alex and balanced him in her lap, bouncing him around on her knee a little as she smiled and admitted, "Always wanted younger siblings."

"That's good." Brenda smiled as she asked, "Can you sit there, hold Alex? I want a picture.. Jacks, put Jossy in the picture too, please, baby?"

Jacks placed Josslyn on the other side of Alex and Brenda smiled brightly, got her camera and took a few pictures. She fully intended to be one of those mothers who followed her children and stepchildren around with a camera for all of their little milestones.

It hurt because she realized that her own daughter was 19, she'd missed the major mother daughter milestone called Senior Prom.

"You alright?"

"Yeah.. I just realized that I missed your prom."

"Actually, no you didn't.. I didn't go. Had no interest in any of the guys at my old school.. Besides, they wouldn't let me wear my Chucks with my dress, and their theme and music were crappy, so yeah. It's cool, I highly doubt I'll regret it." Jolene lied as she bit her lower lip.

She hadn't went because nobody asked her. She'd been the high school weirdo, actually. When you like sports and bikes, and you work on cars and play heavy metal music with a band, underage at college bars, well.. Guys tend to steer clear of you as much as humanly possible.

She didn't really want to tell her mother that though.

Brenda could tell that she was lying about her having missed prom not bothering her. She made a mental note about it later.. Maybe these little subtle things she picked up about her daughter were things she could be a mother, help her baby girl with.

"They did play really lame music." Jacks laughed as he thought about his own prom.

"They did. Jason hated it because he couldn't wear a black t shirt and black jeans, call it a tuxedo.. Your grandmother was about to strangle him when the limo showed up to take us.." Brenda admitted, falling silent for a little bit.

" I sat on the hood of my friend's car at ours.. Sat out there listening to Metallica looking at the stars and stuff. Didn't see what the big fuss was, especially when I saw 3 fights in the parking lot." Jolene admitted, trying to subtly hint that she'd wanted to go, but she'd been too big of a dork for any self respecting guy to ask her.

Brenda nodded. She had the feeling that her daughter had wanted to go, but looking at her daughter, she got the feeling that a lot of guys might have been intimidated by how pretty she was. She also got the feeling that Jolene thought she hadn't been asked for other reasons.

She wondered what might have happened to Jo as a kid to make her so self conscious, make her so down on herself. She could sort of look at her daughter and tell what she was thinking or felt.

She asked her daughter about her tattoo, gently scolding her. She could only imagine the heart attack she'd have had, had she been allowed to properly lecture her daughter on the night she'd come home with it on her.

" I sort of let a friend talk me into it. I found out that night I hate needles and pain." Jolene joked as she smiled and asked, "So you don't have one?"

"Nope. I have my ears peirced and I had my belly button done, but when I came in with it, your grandmother made me take it out."

"Ahh.. I bet you got into so much trouble."

"I was living with your dad and his family at the time.. I'm pretty sure the past week's shown you how uptight they can be about some things."

"Aggh.. Yes.. AJ, dad's brother, he caught me sneaking a cigarette. Made me walk through the cancer ward while he recited every fact he knew about lung cancer. "

"It is bad for you.. I hope you're going to quit."  
"Trying, mom.. Dad bought me Nicorette when AJ got him off to the side and told him."

"Has he seen your little tattoo yet?"

"Umm, that'd be a huge no.. Something tells me he'd be pissed."

Brenda remembered the 'journal' she'd kept dilligently since she thought Jolene was dead and said "Hang on just a second.. There's something I want you to have.. Maybe it'll help you see how much I loved you, how much I wanted to have you and how much I missed you when I thought you were gone forever."

Maybe giving her the notebooks full of 'letters' would help Jolene see that she hadn't been thrown away that time. Maybe it'd bring her closer to her daughter.. She had to give it a try at least.

She came back out with about 4 notebooks and said quietly, "They're all letters to you.. Most of them were on your birthday.. It was always a really hard day."

Jolene nodded and took them, hugging her mother warily as she said "I'll come back later.. I told Sam I'd go to the doctor with her, because of Danny's being sick.. So I'll come over later tonight and spend time with Alex too and Josslyn, I mean if that's okay?"

"I'd love that."

Jolene left her mother's house feeling a little bit better, curious to know what the letters all said. She'd read them when she was back in the pink room tonight.. She sighed as she muttered, "And now I feel guilty about wanting to repaint the damn room." as she got into the cab and headed back to her father's apartment.

Maybe she really was finally exactly where she was meant to be all along.

* * *

AUTHORS NOTES:

Thanks so much for the reviews, I'm glad this is being read, I'm glad you guys all like this so far.. I'm sort of trying to tie up some inconsistencies, things that didn't make sense to me.. I might be bringing back some old characters that should never have died, so bear with me..

For those of you who vote Johnny, awesome.. I'm seriously considering him as a pairing for Jolene, I just don't see her fitting well with a resurrected Logan or a resurrected Diego, and SpinGeo is an OTP of mine, as well as Lante and Spixie, so I can't break 'em up, I get a little antsy when it even looks like they might have been or might be trying to on the show.

I'll consider Diego, however, if anyone just feels she fits him better. For now, just gotta build up her family ties first, take my time.. Sorry if it's slow in starting, I try and take my time with these fics I write.


	7. Chapter 7

"_Ever Since The Beginning, To Keep The World Spinning, It Takes All Kinds Of Kinds"_

_- All Kinds Of Kinds, Miranda Lambert_

_CHAPTER 01 PART O__7__:_

2 PM , LATER IN THE WEEK

SEEING THE SIGHTS & MEETING SOME LOCALS, MAYBE?

Ethan had only really just gotten back to town, mostly because Lulu wanted him to come back, meet his niece, the baby she'd just had with her husband, local police officer, Dante Falconerie.

He'd been wandering mostly, right now, he was walking through the park since it was a nicer day out, despite the slight early fall chill in the air. When he heard the guitar being played, he looked around at first, not sure where it was coming from, but thinking whoever was playing it was actually pretty good at it.

A little farther down the path, through the flower beds and gardens they had planted throughout the place as sort of a maze, he found the source of the music and flopped carelessly on a bench nearby, listening while he watched the other people, parents taking their kids on walks mostly..

Jolene looked up when the guy flopped down on the next bench, but she figured he was just resting, maybe he found the place as peaceful as she had when she'd found it earlier while she'd been casually walking through the park, so she didn't say anything.

He spoke first, however and asked in a heavy Australian accent, "Happen to know any Led Zepplin?"

Jolene smirked as she started to play the lead in to Whole Lotta Love and said finally, "What do you think?"

Ethan chuckled and then smirking back said casually, "Name's Ethan."

"Call me Jo." Jolene said as she continued to play the song she'd just sort of shown off and played for him before bridging into Purple Haze and smirking, shrugging casually.

"Where the bloody hell did you learn that?"

"I've been playing since I was probably 6. Guitar, drums, piano, you name it." Jolene said as she asked, "You're not from around here.. Right?"

"Nope. I'm from Australia, originally. My dad though, he lives round here."

"Ahh. So does mine." Jolene said as she smiled a little and then stopped playing, resting her guitar on her lap for the time being. "It's peaceful out here."

Ethan shrugged, he hadn't really noticed in all honesty, he had a lot on his mind, most of it trying to find a cure for the poision that Helena slipped Luke, his father, before they finally took care of the old witch.

Then there was seeing his little sister become a mum of course.. Realizing how he didn't really have anyone in his own life.. You don't feel how little you do have apparently, until you watch someone in your family get everything they ever wanted.

But the young male was too much of a drifter to just settle, he got it from his father, he got it honest. He liked to live from one adventure, one quest to the next.

"Of all of the places I've seen man.. It's actually probably the most peaceful right here." Jolene admitted as she took off her converses, flexed her black painted toenails/toes in the grass and leaned back.

Normally, she didn't make it a point to carry on conversations with strangers, but lately, since coming here, she'd gotten at least halfway decent about it. Or she was trying, since apparently, her birth mother was a chatty Cathy of sorts.

She took more after her father, she was beginning to see.. She didn't just get his eyes, she got his quiet nature, his love of privacy.

"Really.. Is it now?" Ethan asked as he looked her over, smiling to himself. Something about her, he wasn't sure why, it reminded him of Sonny's hitman, Jason Morgan. He said nothing, might just be a coincidence, right?

"It is.. And I grew up in Vegas, loved it out there."

"Where else have you been?"

"Hmm.. Let's see.. I left Vegas when I was 17, I'm 19 now.. I think I've been to New Mexico, California, Seattle.. Some other places too, I'm pretty damn sure but when you move around a lot you tend to forget."

Ethan gaped at her and then asked, "You left home.. At 17."

"It was hardly a home, Ethan. Trust me. The 9th ring of Hell would probably be more homely than some of the places I lived." Jolene muttered quietly as she let her eyes dart around the park, rubbing her bare arms lightly as she bit her lower lip. She didn't like talking about herself or her past much, she had to come up with something else for them to talk about soon or she'd probably crawl right out of her skin.

Ethan studied her while she wasn't looking and then asked, "You said your father's from round here.. What's his name? I'm just curious, you sort of remind me of someone.."

"Jason Morgan."

When she said this, he coughed a little then muttered, "Wow. Didn't bloody see that one coming."

Jolene laughed and stretching said "Yeah, basically some doucher took me from my mom, Brenda and then told her I was dead to get back at my father. Or something like that.. either way, I just found out my parents live here."

He gaped at her now.. Brenda was her mother? That explained the long dark hair and her lips.. And looking at her he had to admit, she sort of had this really underplayed and raw beauty.

Mentally he kicked himself for thinking that and then said casually, "My dad's Luke."

Jolene nodded, smiled. "Cool." she said as she popped a bubble with the gum she'd been chewing, mumbled about having to quit smoking under her breath. Ethan chuckled and then asked, "Are you thirsty or? Because I was thinking about walking over to the machine, getting a soda."

"Sure." she answered as she stood, walked beside him down the path farther, towards some vending machines. She twisted the cap off of her green tea and then said with a slight smile, "Sorry, I'm just not good at conversations."

"Me either, especially when I've got loads on my mind." Ethan said as he asked, "So.. Have you actually been around town and seen what it's like?"

"Not really. Kind of just exploring when I get a chance.. My little brother he's real sick.. I try and stay with him as much as possible."

"Danny, right?" Ethan asked as Jolene nodded and said quietly, "Kind of why I was sitting there.. I was questioning why shit like that happens to babies, man. I mean they've done nothing.. Take someone like me, I mean I've lived, I've seen a reasonable bit of the world, I've actually gotten to experience life for the most part.."

He sighed, nodding. He understood, actually, and agreed. "I know, right? It bothers me too.. I know your step aunt, Kristina.."

"Yeah.. I think she mentioned you before.. Said you are a really good friend of hers and you helped her through some really bad situations in the past. We talk a lot, actually."

Ethan nodded as they walked around the park. He tried to think of something to talk about, like her, he wasn't the best at conversation, especially when it was those ever so awkward first ones.

But he could tell that at the very least, they might just be friends. He sensed a kindred spirit in her.

They'd walked to the docks and he laughed as the Haunted Star came into view and said "My father.. He owned that.. Was a casino boat. Now my sister and my best mate own it.. It's a nightclub and they rent it out for gatherings."

"Do they still have poker tables?" Jolene blurted as she looked at him, supressing a laugh then adding, "I was just curious."

"I can see if Johnny still has one in the back. If he's even around the place."

She bit her lower lip when he mentioned Johnny and raking her hand through her hair said casually, "I think I met him."

Ethan smirked and then said "Betting Jason doesn't know that either."

Jolene shook her head and shrugged then said "It wasn't much, just his hearing me play piano at the Metro Court the night my uncle Franco booked me a room to keep me from leaving town."

"You actually acknowledge the bloody guy?"

"Why not? People can change."

"Yes, but."

"People can change.. And he's actually trying." Jolene insisted as she smirked and walked onto the Haunted Star behind Ethan.

Johnny looked up and saw her walking in behind Ethan, who was apparently back in town now.. For some reason, for a split second, he felt jealous. But then he reminded himself exactly why he could not have her, ever. He smiled and then called out, "Come back finally you sorry dog?"

"Yeah, I'm back.. Lulu bothered me until I came into town to meet my niece."

"Cute kid, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she is." Ethan said as he asked, "Do you still have one of Dad's poker tables in the back?"

"Actually, yeah, I do." Johnny smirked as he held Jo's gaze for a few moments then gave Ethan a slightly challenging smirk.

Oddly enough, he found it cute that Jolene wasn't really noticing the underlying tension or the fact that either of them might be interested in her. Instead, she was looking at some old photos of Port Charles as it'd been in the 20s and 30s, the 40's.

"Place has a lot of history." Johnny called out as Ethan nodded and said "Lots."

Jolene looked up and for a moment, biting her fingernail she thought about it and said "I noticed that. It's kind of cool, actually."

"The poker tables are in the back, Ethan." Johnny said as Jolene spoke up and said casually, with a slight smirk, "I was the one who asked, actually. When Ethan told me this used to be a casino a little while back?"

"Yeah? You play?"

"I grew up in Las Vegas.. That's like asking a fish if it can swim." Jolene bragged as she smirked at the two guys and then said "Maybe if I stick around we can play sometime."

"Sounds like a bloody good idea."

"Hell.. Why not tonight at about 9. The place isn't booked out and I'm closed to do liquor inventory.. Only takes me about 10 minutes usually. You guys can help with that and then we'll play poker."

"Ooh.. Sounds like fun." Jolene said back as she leaned back against the bar, eventually scooting and sitting on it's surface.

"So.. How are you adjusting to Port Charles?"

"It's going okay, so far. Get the feeling that it's going to be interesting." Jolene said as she swung her feet a little, popped another bubble with her chewing gum and then said "So.. What else is there to do around here? I mean Ethan asked if I'd been shown around.. Didn't offer though." and pretended to pout.

"I can now, if you want." Ethan said as Johnny glared a little and then said " I'll have to show ya around later. Wish I could now, but.."

"Work."

"Basically, yeah.. Gotta say, this job's not all bad though." Johnny admitted as he smiled at her. Jolene scooted and hopped off the bar and then said "Just so both of you know.. Get ready to lose your asses at poker tonight, boys."

"Ooh.. She sounds serious." both males mocked as they snickered and Jolene shrugged then with a casual wink said "Maybe I am."

Ethan and Jolene walked off the boat and then down the street farther, where he ran into his father, Luke.

"Dad.. What are you up to?"

"Dodging Tracy, son, dodging Tracy."

"Can't say I blame ya there, sir." Jolene muttered as Luke snickered and then looking at her said "Jo.. Right? I believe she mentioned you earlier."

"And I'm betting it probably wasn't good." Jolene stated as Luke shrugged and then said "Actually, she seemed concerned."

"W-why?" Jolene stammered as Luke shrugged then said with a smirk, "They're a conservative family.. People like us, hey.. We really don't fit in.. I like her, Dodge." as he cast his glance to his son who glared at him as if to say, "Really, dad?"

When they'd gotten a little farther down the sidewalk, Ethan said casually, "Sorry about that.. The old man, he's.."

"He's awesome." Jolene finished as she added, "I can definitely see the family resemblance.." and looked at him, face pinkening a little as she apologized and said hastily, "Sorry, I just.. Shit. I blurt things out sometimes?"

"It's okay."

They sat at an outdoor table outside of Kelly's and talked a little longer, then someoen called Ethan and he had to leave, so Jolene wandered around on her own, mostly thinking about her earlier run in with Johnny, meeting Ethan, meeting everyone she'd met so far. She noticed the help wanted sign in the window of a coffee shop and she ducked in and filled out an application on a whim.

If she liked it here so far, and her baby brother did need her, she did finally have family, she figured she might as well stick around, at least a little bit longer, right? Get to know everyone better.

* * *

AUTHORS NOTES:

Thanks so much for the reviews, I'm glad this is being read, I'm glad you guys all like this so far.. I'm sort of trying to tie up some inconsistencies, things that didn't make sense to me.. I might be bringing back some old characters that should never have died, so bear with me..

Breaking News: thanks to reviewer countryfan4life, Ethan Lovett is also up for a vote.. I love Ethina, but to be honest, they're not one of my pet pairings, so yeah.. I can totally see that, thanks for the suggest.

Choices are: Ethan, Johnny and maybe Diego. Those are the 3 I'm torn between now. I threw him into this chapter, btw, so thanks again for the idea.


End file.
